The Rolf Structural Integration and Sports

No matter what sport or physical activity you participate in, The Rolf Method of Structural Integration can help by increasing your coordination, balance, flexiblity, and recovery time, and overall physical performance. Many athletes who have received The Rolf Method of Structural Integration have noticed more energy, fewer injuries, and a greater sense of ease while performing at new levels of competency.


Athletes tend to push themselves to the extreme and this can be very challenging on the body. If there are structural issues in addition to the stress of the activities it can make reaching ones goals even harder. While training for a particular activity our bodies are put through repetitive strains and this can cause tension patterns to remain in the body. When a group of muscles are tightly bound, you have several individual muscles trying to function as one. Loosening restrictions of this bound-up fascia allows for better muscular flexion and extension, giving each muscle a greater power and coordination while decreasing the chance of injury. Realigning your posture allows for deeper, fuller breathing which in turn increases stamina and endurance. Structural Integration also reduces recovery time for sport’s related injuries and may help rebalance the body and recover flexibility from repetitive movements. 

Two-time U.S. Olympic high jumper Amy Acuff mentioned this when asked about Rolfing SI: “As an Olympic high jumper, my motor skills, range of motion and power through that range of motion are critical. When I take off I have to be in position, and more important, I have to be powerful through the launch. I use Rolfing to increase my performance. It frees up a lot of space in my movement, increases my range of motion and gives me more efficient muscle control. The increased range of motion helps me refine the use of my proprioceptions, so I know where I am in space. It also streamlined my motor pathways.”

 Performance benefits from The Rolf Method SI include:

  - decreased pain
  - increased range of motion and ease of movements
  - standing taller and straighter without effort
  - feeling more “grounded”
  - quicker recovery from injury
  - restores vitality to your body


Here are some people you may know who trust Rolfing as their treatment:

 - Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburg Penguins
 - Michelle Kwan and Elvis Stojko, ‘98 Olympic Silver Medal figure skaters
 - Phil Jackson, former Chicago Bulls’ coach
 - Charles Barkley of the Houston Rockets
 - Rob Moore of the Phoenix Cardinals
 - Tim Salmon, CA Angel baseball star 
 - The Phoenix Suns basketball team
 - Bob Tewksbury, pitcher for the Minnesota Twins
 - Edwin Moses, Olympic track athlete
 - Joe Greene, ‘96 U.S. Olympic Bronze Medal long jumper
 - Ivan Lendl, former tennis champion

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Yoga and Martial Arts

For the same reasons given above, The Rolf Method SI is invaluable for yoga and all forms of Martial Arts. Additionally, SI not only works on the body, but allows the person being worked on to reach a deeper level of inhabiting their body by increasing their awareness to different “holding patterns” and allowing them freedom to release. A large part of SI is directed toward this in the education of form and function. Evoking the breathe to certain areas also brings awareness to individual places in the body possibly forgotten about or never known.


The most common objectives that guide people to The Rolf Method SI in yoga and martial arts are:

  - to increase flexibility or coordination
  - to improve posture and alignment 
  - to learn to relax and obtain more body awareness
  - to offset deleterious effects of aging
  - to release emotional blocks stored in the body
  - to have more energy and stamina
  - to find relief from breathing difficulties 
  - to better inhabit the body



Whether you are a professional athlete or do it just for the pure joy, The Rolf Method of S.I. may be what you need to reach your goals...You owe it to your body!

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